Dry fly life

**LopatNympher** · 06-10-2009, 06:41 PM

Here;s a noobish question for anyone out there. What is the life expectancy of a dry fly. I know it would depend on the type but for me they don't seem to last for more than 2 or 3 fish before they get pretty banged up and lose their appeal. Is this the average?

**Walshmiko** · 06-10-2009, 06:58 PM

No Joke, I change every fish...I love tying dry's so its all good..

**craigw** · 06-10-2009, 07:00 PM

hair wing flies (deer, snowshoe) when fished barbless should last alot longer.

**mike734** · 06-10-2009, 07:33 PM

It definitely depends on the material, this is why Lee Wulff created the Wulff series of flies using durable high floating hair wings and tails.

I also find that unless the hook is bent beyond repair or the fly is actually damaged the fly still fishes fine after being chewed on. A bit of Frog's Fanny and you're back in the game. Even if you fly is chewed up still give it a shot and I bet you're catch rates won't decrease, maybe increase.

**kyle** · 06-11-2009, 09:37 PM

like you said it depends on the fly and the fish you get too. But flies tied with snowshoe and deer/elk hair wings tend to be pretty durable. Foam flies also last a long time too. But when you're fishing some smaller parachutes or polywing spinners 3-4 fish seems about right. But like I said if you catch 3 small fish it's not a big deal but if you get one big toothy brown you're fly will probably be in ruins. Although most of my dry fly "casualties" come from trying to remove the fly from a fish's jaw with forceps. If you grab the wing, the tail, or the hackle you're fly is history, so I try to use my fingers.

-kyle

**jhouseman** · 06-11-2009, 09:55 PM

You guys catch fish on dry flies!!!!!! ;D

With all seriousness there is a bit of a renaissance of dry fly fishing happening to me lately. It's inspiring. Nice to go kinda full circle after 2 decades with my fly fishing techniques.

A few average, but possibly useful tips that might help your dry flies make it to the next drift:
1) Rib that hackle. Even if the recipe doesn't call for it send some 5x mono around any hackle it'll do wonders!
2) Plastic and Foam. Try to substitute plastic and foam for traditional parts of dry flies. A foam body or poly wing can be much more durable than the "real" thing sometimes. The trick is finding un-natural materials with natural colors - they do exist!
3) Use barbless hooks. Extracting a barbless hook is so much easier. Sometimes it even happens before the fish is in the net... how convenient is that?
4)Try different drying methods. Goo works for some flies while drying foam works for others. Each material reacts differently to certain applications.
5) Use a nymph. Nymphs don't need to float. Just fun'n yah!

**AaronJasper** · 06-11-2009, 10:06 PM

I like the barbless hook tip! If you use barbless hooks, the flies last a lot longer because you don't destroy the fly while tryting to take it out with forceps.